# Pet memorial gift ideas that are not tacky

> Thoughtful dog and pet memorial gift ideas — a framed print, what to say in the card, what to avoid, and how to have a photo of their animal printed.

- Canonical page: https://hollzphotography.com/blog/pet-memorial-gift-ideas
- Business: Hollzphotography — signed animal and Irish landscape photography prints
- Photographer: Amy Byrne, Ireland
- Contact: info@hollzphotography.com · 083 881 3982

- Published: 2026-08-15
- Reading time: 5 minutes
- Topics: pet memorial gifts, dog memorial gift, animal wall art, wall art ireland

I get asked about this more than anything else, and it is always the same worry: everything on offer feels either mawkish or mass-produced.

## What to avoid

- **Engraved slogans.** "Until we meet again" on a slate plaque ages badly. It says more about the shop than the animal.
- **Anything with a date on it.** It fixes the gift to the worst day rather than the good years.
- **Novelty.** Paw-print keyrings and cartoon caricatures are for a birthday, not for this.
- **Rushing.** A gift that arrives three weeks later, when everyone else has gone quiet, often lands better than one that arrives in the first week.

## What people actually keep

A **framed photograph**. It is not original advice, and that is exactly why it works — it is the one memorial object that gets hung on a wall rather than put in a drawer.

Three things make the difference between a keepsake and a printout:

1. **The photo.** Not the posed one. The one where the dog is mid-run, or asleep in a patch of sun, or looking at their person. Character over composition, every time.
2. **The size.** 8×10″ suits a shelf or a hallway. 12×16″ is the size that reads as a piece of art rather than a photo. Sizing by room is covered in the [print size guide](/blog/print-size-guide-inches).
3. **The frame.** An unframed print says "you sort it out". A framed one can be hung the day it arrives, which matters when someone has no energy for errands.

## Black and white

Colour photographs of animals can look raw when the loss is recent — the grass too green, the day too bright. A black-and-white print is quieter and holds up over years. Every image here can be printed in black and white at no extra cost, and there is a [black and white collection](/prints/black-and-white-animal-photography) if you want to see how it reads.

## Using their own photo

If you have a photograph of their animal on a phone, that is usually the right image. Get in touch through the [contact page](/contact) — I will tell you honestly whether the file is large enough to print at the size you want, and at what size it will still look good. A phone photo taken in daylight will normally print well up to 12×16″.

## What to write

Short. "Thought you'd like this one of him." Nothing more is needed, and anything more tends to be for the sender rather than the recipient.

## Prices

Prints are €10–€50 depending on size, plus €15 for oak framing, excluding postage. Half of every order goes to [Forever Home Sanctuary](https://foreverhomesanctuary.charity).

Have a look at [dog wall art](/prints/dog-wall-art), [horse wall art](/prints/horse-wall-art) or the [full shop](/shop).

## FAQ

### What is a good memorial gift for someone who has lost a dog?

A framed photograph is the memorial gift people actually keep. Choose a candid image over a posed one, print it at 8×10″ for a shelf or 12×16″ for a wall, and have it framed so it can be hung straight away.

### Can you print a photo of my own pet?

Yes — send it through the contact page and I will tell you what size it will print well at. A daylight phone photo will normally hold up to 12×16″.

### Should a pet memorial print be black and white?

Often yes. Black and white is quieter than colour when a loss is recent and ages better on a wall. Any image here can be printed in black and white at no extra cost.

### How much does a framed memorial print cost?

Prints run from €10 to €50 depending on size, with oak framing at +€15. A framed 8×10″ comes to €35, excluding postage.

## Pages

- [Print shop](https://hollzphotography.com/shop)
- [Gallery](https://hollzphotography.com/gallery)
- [Print guide](https://hollzphotography.com/prints)
- [Wall art in real rooms](https://hollzphotography.com/wall-art)
- [Print sizes guide](https://hollzphotography.com/print-sizes)
- [Gallery wall guide](https://hollzphotography.com/gallery-wall)
- [Gift guide](https://hollzphotography.com/gift-guide)
- [Journal](https://hollzphotography.com/blog)
- [About Amy](https://hollzphotography.com/about)
- [FAQ](https://hollzphotography.com/faq)
- [Pet portraits & commissions](https://hollzphotography.com/commissions)
- [Events](https://hollzphotography.com/events)
- [Contact](https://hollzphotography.com/contact)